Caley Thistle head coach Billy Dodds reckons loanee Reece McAlear has the potential for a big future in the game.
McAlear was an impressive figure in the draw with Partick Thistle last week, helping set up Kirk Broadfoot’s late equaliser.
The midfielder, who turned 20 on Saturday, is a product of the Motherwell academy and joined the Championship Caley Jags on loan from Norwich City in the summer.
He has been a regular in the squad of late, starting the last five league games, and Dodds has been pleased with what he’s seen.
He said: “Reece has really come on to a game. He’s that unselfish a player he tries to help out with the defending, but sometimes leaves himself a lot to do to get to his midfielder.
“But he’s got that quality with his delivery and the couple of goals he’s scored this year have been ridiculous.
“He’s going to be a good player. He’s going to have a good career ahead of him. He’s a young lad and he’s picking up things all the time.”
Dodds hopes the manner of the result on Wednesday night can prove transformative for Caley Thistle’s season.
Inverness have struggled for consistency of late and have not won in nine matches. Their last victory came on the road to Morton, with a 6-1 thumping in December.
But they remain in touch at the top of the table, with both of the top two in the division dropping points last week.
Dodds added: “I would have loved to have won it, when you see the other results.
“But it’s a point that can start something, because of the way it happened. We had the bit between our teeth and realised we have to keep going. We don’t lie down.
“They showed me what they’ve got in them. It would have been easy to feel unlucky or sorry for themselves, but they didn’t. They kept going at it.”
Dodds allowed the players the weekend off to recuperate, with Inverness already being out of the Scottish Cup and without a game.
The former Scotland international feels the pressure will soon start to ramp up as the Championship reaches the business end of the season.
He added: “We needed a couple of days away, clear the heads. Players can get away and enjoy time with their family.
“We’ve had Saturday-Sunday off and we come back ready for Ayr United.
“This is pressure time. I would have loved to win last week, but you can see what’s happening elsewhere.
“People at some point in this league will start to think about it getting to the crunch time. When we’re doing that, we have to make sure we’re picking up points.”